Mechanical shock abatement system incorporating sacrificial systems

Abstract

Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, for example, a helmet suspension system including a number of levers, wherein a first lever of the number of levers rotates about a fulcrum in response to an impact force of a collision between a helmet shell and a foreign object to obtain a lever response. The system includes a sacrificial assembly including a first deformable member, wherein the sacrificial assembly is in communication with a group of levers of the number of levers. A first strain applied to the first deformable member according to the lever response to obtain a first stress response of the first deformable member based on a first stress-strain relationship including a non-linear response. The first stress response of the first deformable member includes the non-linear response, wherein the first stress response reduces a portion of the impact force transmitted to a body of a user. Other embodiments are disclosed.

1 . A safety device, comprising:
 a shock abatement assembly adapted for placement between a protective shell and a body of a user, wherein the shock abatement assembly comprises:
 a plurality of levers; 
 a plurality of fulcra that pivotally engage the plurality of levers, wherein at least one lever of the plurality of levers rotates about a respective fulcrum of the plurality of fulcra in response to an impact force of a collision between the protective shell and a foreign object to obtain a lever response; and 
 a sacrificial system including a first deformable member, wherein the sacrificial system is in communication with a group of levers of the plurality of levers, 
 wherein a first strain is applied to the first deformable member according to the lever response to obtain a first stress response of the first deformable member based on a first stress-strain relationship comprising a non-linear response, 
 wherein the first stress response of the first deformable member comprises the non-linear response, and 
 wherein the first stress response reduces a portion of the impact force transmitted to the body of the user. 
   
     
     
         2 . The safety device of  claim 1 , wherein the first stress response comprises a plastic deformation of the first deformable member up to and including fracture. 
     
     
         3 . The safety device of  claim 1 , wherein the sacrificial system further comprises a second deformable member,
 wherein a second strain is applied to the second deformable member according to the lever response to obtain a second stress response based on a second stress-strain relationship comprising a linear response,   wherein the second stress response comprises the linear response of the second stress-strain relationship, and   wherein the second stress response reduces a portion of the impact force transmitted to the body of the user.   
     
     
         4 . The safety device of  claim 3 , wherein the first deformable member comprises an anchor member, wherein the second deformable member is fixedly attached via the anchor member to a lever of the group of levers of the plurality of levers, wherein the first stress response comprises a plastic deformation of one of the first deformable member, the anchor member, or both. 
     
     
         5 . The safety device of  claim 3 , wherein one of the first deformable member, the second deformable member or a combination thereof comprises an elastomer that stores energy in response to the lever response. 
     
     
         6 . The safety device of  claim 5 , wherein the elastomer is fixedly attached between the group of levers of the plurality of levers, such that a rotation of a lever of the group of levers of the plurality of levers deforms the elastomer. 
     
     
         7 . The safety device of  claim 6 , wherein the first stress response of the first deformable member comprising the non-linear response comprises one of a plastic deformation of the first deformable member, a fracture of the first deformable member, a disengagement of a portion of the sacrificial system from a lever of the plurality of levers, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         8 . The safety device of  claim 7 , wherein the second deformable member remains engaged between the group of levers of the plurality of levers through the first stress response of the first deformable member. 
     
     
         9 . The safety device of  claim 3 , wherein the first stress-strain relationship and the second stress-strain relationship are determined according to an operating temperature of a predetermined range of operating temperatures, and wherein the first stress response and the second stress response facilitate a stability of a safety response of the shock abatement assembly within a predetermined variability that diverts at least a portion of one of the impact force, an impact energy of the collision or both away from the body of the user across the predetermined range of operating temperatures. 
     
     
         10 . The safety device of  claim 3 , wherein the first deformable member absorbs a first portion of energy of the impact force of the collision according to the first stress response and wherein the second deformable member absorbs a second portion of energy of the impact force of the collision according to the second stress response. 
     
     
         11 . The safety device of  claim 3 , wherein one of the first stress response, the second stress response, or both, dictates a selective disengagement of the sacrificial system from the lever of the plurality of levers. 
     
     
         12 . The safety device of  claim 1 , wherein the protective shell is rigid in response to the impact force of the collision. 
     
     
         13 . The safety device of  claim 1 , wherein the first deformable member includes one of a safety strip adapted to disengage the lever of the plurality of levers responsive to a plastic deformation of the safety strip up to and including fracture. 
     
     
         14 . The safety device of  claim 1 , wherein the first deformable member is an anchor hook adapted to disengage a portion of the sacrificial system from the lever of the plurality of levers responsive to a plastic deformation of the anchor hook up to and including fracture. 
     
     
         15 . The safety device of  claim 1 , wherein the first deformable member is a deformable hook comprising a compressible portion adapted to disengage a portion of the sacrificial system from the lever of the plurality of levers responsive to a thermally dependent stiffness of the compressible portion. 
     
     
         16 . The safety device of  claim 1 , wherein the first deformable member is a hook comprising a snap fit portion adapted to disengage a portion of the sacrificial system from the lever of the plurality of levers responsive to a first stress occurring above a snap-fit actuation threshold. 
     
     
         17 . The safety device of  claim 1 , wherein the first deformable member is a pivot hook that pivots about an axle, wherein an interference fit is formed between the pivot hook and the axle, and wherein the pivot hook is adapted to disengage a portion of the sacrificial system from the lever of the plurality of levers responsive to a first stress occurring above threshold stress to overcome the interference fit allowing the pivot hook to pivot about the axle. 
     
     
         18 . The safety device of  claim 1 , further comprising an attachment device adapted to attach the shock abatement assembly to the protective shell. 
     
     
         19 . A helmet suspension system, comprising:
 a plurality of levers, wherein a first lever of the plurality of levers rotates about a fulcrum in response to an impact force of a collision between a helmet shell and a foreign object to obtain a lever response; and   a sacrificial assembly including a first deformable member, wherein the sacrificial assembly is in communication with a group of levers of the plurality of levers,   wherein a first strain is applied to the first deformable member according to the lever response to obtain a first stress response of the first deformable member based on a first stress-strain relationship comprising a non-linear response,   wherein the first stress response of the first deformable member comprises the non-linear response, and   wherein the first stress response reduces a portion of the impact force transmitted to a body of a user.   
     
     
         20 . The helmet suspension system of  claim 19 , wherein the sacrificial assembly further comprises a second deformable member, wherein a second strain is applied to the second deformable member according to the lever response to obtain a second stress response based on a second stress-strain relationship comprising a linear response, wherein the second stress response comprises the linear response of the second stress-strain relationship, and wherein the second stress response reduces a portion of the impact force transmitted to the body of the user. 
     
     
         21 . The helmet suspension system of  claim 19 , wherein the first stress response of the first deformable member comprising the non-linear response comprises one of a plastic deformation of the first deformable member, a fracture of the first deformable member, a disengagement of a portion of the sacrificial assembly from a lever of the plurality of levers, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         22 . A method for collision protection, comprising:
 providing an impact protection assembly comprising a machine and a sacrificial assembly in communication with the machine, wherein the sacrificial assembly includes a deformable member;   receiving an impact force according to a collision between a protective shell and a foreign object, wherein the impact protection assembly is configured for attachment to the protective shell to facilitate protection of a body of a user from the impact force;   actuating the machine in response to the impact force of the collision; and   applying, by the actuating of the machine, a strain to the deformable member to obtain a stress response based on a stress-strain relationship comprising a non-linear response,   wherein the stress response of the deformable member comprises the non-linear response, and   wherein the stress response reduces a portion of the impact force transmitted to the body of the user.   
     
     
         23 . The method for collision protection of  claim 22 , wherein the impact protection assembly provides a stable stiffness response across a range of operating temperatures due to selective disengagement of the deformable member. 
     
     
         24 . The method for collision protection of  claim 22 , wherein the deformable member includes a safety strip, wherein the non-linear response comprises a plastic deformation of the safety strip up to and including fracture adapted to disengage a portion of the sacrificial assembly from the machine. 
     
     
         25 . The method for collision protection of  claim 22 , wherein the deformable member is an anchor hook, wherein the non-linear response comprises a plastic deformation of the anchor hook up to and including fracture adapted to disengage a portion of the sacrificial assembly from the machine. 
     
     
         26 . The method for collision protection of  claim 22 , wherein the deformable member is a deformable hook, wherein the non-linear response comprises compressing a compressible portion to obtain a compression of the deformable hook adapted to disengage a portion of the sacrificial assembly from the machine responsive to a thermally dependent stiffness of the compressible portion. 
     
     
         27 . The method for collision protection of  claim 22 , wherein the deformable member is a hook including a snap-fit portion, wherein the non-linear response comprises a first stress occurring above a snap-fit actuation threshold facilitates actuation of the snap-fit portion to disengage a portion of the sacrificial assembly from the machine. 
     
     
         28 . The method for collision protection of  claim 22 , wherein the deformable member is a pivot hook that pivots about an axle, wherein an interference fit is formed between the pivot hook and the axle, wherein the non-linear response comprises a first stress occurring above threshold stress to overcome the interference fit allowing the pivot hook to pivot about the axle to facilitate disengagement of a portion of the sacrificial assembly from the machine.